Take a Seat Home / Pyramid Plan launch

Pyramid’s Visioning Group invite you to TAKE A SEAT HOME, a celebration of Pyramid’s art, ambitions, and future.

When: Tuesday 19 November 2024

Time: 3pm – 7pm

Where: Northern Market, 12 Great George Street, Leeds, LS1 3ED
(Level access on Alexander Street LS1 3AF

Cost: Free, just turn up

Access: https://pyramid.org.uk/northern-market-access-information-easy-read/

Refreshments: Hot food and drinks are available to buy at the venue. Please note that it is card only (you cannot pay with cash).

Click the image to view the event flyer:

The Visioning Group will share information and artwork about some fantastic projects that have happened recently at Pyramid, and some of our exciting future plans.  We will be launching the ‘Pyramid Plan 2024-2028’, written by the Visioning Group.

Our plan is very ambitious!  It says things like:

• We will work with artists, organisations, galleries and venues from across the world.
• There will be more famous artists with a learning disability, autism or both.
• We want to make big change through big art

As well as sharing recent artwork and films made by Pyramid artists, we will launch our new ‘Pyramite’ t-shirts for supporters to wear with pride (designed by the Visioning Group) and there will be an auction of artwork from Next Step Pyramid’s ‘Take a Seat’ project, recently exhibited at Seagulls. You can read more about the auction, here: pyramid.org.uk/take-a-seat-home-online-auction

We invite you to join us in this celebration and explore how you can take part and support our ambitious future plans.

Pyramid is proud to be supported by Northern Monk’s Faith in Futures Foundation. We have exciting plans for future collaborations, including a project for artists to design beer tap handles for Northern Monk bars and venues.

Faith in Futures raises money through various channels including fundraising events, merchandise sales and sales of their Faith in Futures range of beers.  So, even the drinks you buy on the night will be making a contribution to Pyramid!

Pyramid’s Visioning Group is a group of people with and without learning disabilities, autism or both who work together to set the future ambitions and plans for Pyramid.

Take a Seat Home – Online Auction

Following on from our Take a Seat exhibition at Seagulls, we’re inviting you to take a seat home!

The artworks were made by Next Step Pyramid, and were made by up-cycling lab stools, donated by Greenhead College Huddersfield, using recycled paint from Seagulls (a Leeds-based social enterprise based around the recycling and reuse of paint). The stools were exhibited at Seagulls and will be on show again at Northern Market on 19 November.

The group spent several weeks choosing their own individual themes for their stools and had lots of fun trying out different techniques such as collage, painting and papier-mâché before they got stuck into decorating their final pieces. Next Step have kindly agreed that the Visioning Group can auction the stools as a Pyramid fundraiser, to support the ambitions in the Pyramid Plan 2024-2028.

The Take A Seat project is a good working example of different ambitions stated in the Pyramid Plan, such as:

We will increase collaborations and partnership working to reach new people.
Next Step and the Visioning Group have worked with Greenhead College, Seagulls Paint, and Northern Monk to make this project happen.

We will create artwork which celebrates Pyramid’s commitment to environmental responsibility and sustainability.
The group created beautiful and unique artworks using wholly reused and recycled materials, and exhibited them at Seagulls’ new venue in Holbeck, hopefully encouraging Pyramid members and audiences to visit, and use Seagulls’ services in future.

We want to use our art to make others think and care about the world. We want to make Big Change Through Big Art.
If you believe in the ambitions stated in the Pyramid plan, please consider supporting the plan by bidding for a stool, joining our Patreon, or making a donation.

The silent auction

In a silent auction, each person who wants to bid on an item writes down their bid, and the person who bids the highest amount is the winner. They pay the amount they bid for the item. If you don’t win, you don’t pay anything.

The online auction will end at 3pm on Tuesday 19 November 2024. We will host a live event from 3pm – 7pm that day, where people will be able to place bids in-person until 6pm. Then we will announce the winners. You can find out more about the live event here: pyramid.org.uk/take-a-seat-home-pyramid-plan-launch

The following items are in the silent auction. To place your bid, please complete this form: https://forms.office.com/e/w795KQvdgR

Daniel

With a love for gardening, Daniel’s stool is a vibrant celebration of his favourite pastime. His illustrations of vegetables and creepy-crawlies create a lively, green-themed stool that reflects his passion for growing and nature.

Ella

Ella, a fan of the beloved TV character Bluey, transformed her stool to reflect this animated world. Complete with a papier-mâché head, wooden paws, and a playful tail, her stool captures Bluey’s fun and cheeky spirit.

Josh

Josh, a dedicated swimmer and water polo player, recently earned his lifeguard certification. His stool is covered with all things swimming, from colourful swim caps to quirky swim trunks (budgie-smugglers!) It’s a fun, water-filled design that reflects his passion for the pool.

Lewis

Lewis’s fascination with trains comes to life through his stool, where the legs have been transformed into train tracks. Little trains run along the surface, showcasing his passion for locomotives in this clever and creative design.

Victor

Victor, a lover of research and list-making, designed his stool around the theme of space. His stool is adorned with the names of spaceships and space-related video games. Collaborating with a Pyramid volunteer, Pete, Victor crafted miniature spaceships that hang from the stool’s top, including a 3D-printed spaceship he created himself.

William

A devoted fan of the Leeds Rhinos, William created his stool as a beautiful tribute to rugby star Rob Burrow’s remarkable career and charitable efforts.

To place a bid on any of the artworks, please complete this form: https://forms.office.com/e/w795KQvdgR

We’re hiring! Development Manager

Pyramid is looking to recruit a new Development Manager to support its work, investing in people with a learning disability, autism, or both, through the discovery, development and disruption of the arts.

This is a new role at Pyramid which supports business development by focusing on fundraising and increasing public awareness of our work.

In this role, you will be responsible for generating, growing, and retaining revenues from new and existing channels (including public and private donations, fundraising events, private sector partnerships and public funding schemes).  Liaising with the Director, you will identify and develop funding bids, contracts, and tenders, as well as other sources of income, to enable Pyramid to thrive and grow.

You will take responsibility for Pyramid’s public profile, including social media accounts, news articles on its website and press releases, assisted by the Marketing and Communications Officer, whom you will line-manage.

Deadline for applications: Sunday 10 November 2024.

Please download the following four files which make up the application pack:

Introductory letter (.pdf)

Job description and person specification (.pdf)

Personal details form (.docx)

Application form (.docx)

If you can’t open Microsoft Word (.docx) files, you can instead use GoogleDocs. Please note, these files will open as ‘view only’ and you will need to save your own copy to edit.

Personal details form (googledoc)

Application form (googledoc)

If for any reason the above formats are not suitable or accessible for you, please email access@pyramid.org.uk and let us know how we can help.

Look Through the Camera, 08-18 October

Join us at Archive for an exhibition of print work by Alfie Fox.

Alfie works with photography, digital art, print, text, collage, and making films. He enjoys experimenting with new techniques and building his skills across different art mediums.

His artwork advocates and challenges people’s perspective of access for people with disabilities and incorporates the difficulties he has personally faced as a young man with multiple disabilities.

For this exhibition, Alfie shows his favourite themes of Doctor Who, money, ‘Prime Minister of the Day’, and people he works with at Pyramid.

Alfie uses screen printing as his main art form, using the facilities at Leeds Print Workshop to create a vibrant and fun set of images. Often distorting the obvious into a fractal display of shapes and colours that take the viewer by surprise and need a moment of observation to work out what they are looking at.

Produced over the last three years, this work shows constant exploration and the development of Alfie’s talent as a print maker.

Where? Archive, 94 Kirkstall Road, Leeds LS3 1HD
Dates: 08 – 18 October 2024
Times: Please see Archive website for opening hours https://archiveleeds.co.uk/
Booking: No booking required, just turn up
Cost: Free
Access: Please see our Archive Access Guide for detailed information https://pyramid.org.uk/Archive-access-information-easy-read

AGM 2023-2024

Saturday 19 October 2024, 11.00am – 1.00pm

Pyramid Studio
Unit 3, 18 Croydon Street
Leeds LS11 9RT

Click here for information about access and travel

AGM stands for Annual General Meeting.

We invite everyone who is involved or interested in Pyramid’s work to attend the meeting, but only legal members can vote.

Please click here for information about becoming a legal member.

AGMs must follow the rules of our governing document.

You can download our governing document, and find our charitable aims, here: https://pyramid.org.uk/strategic-aims/

Meeting papers
If a link is missing, please check back later. All papers will be uploaded by 28 September 2024.

Agenda

Easy-read summary of the annual accounts

Annual activity report

Full Annual accounts and trustee report for the year ending 31 March 2024

Minutes of last year’s AGM (2022-2023)

Trustee profiles – current trustees

Trustee profiles – new trustees

We’re hiring! Marketing & Comms Officer Role

Please note the deadline for this opportunity has now passed.

Pyramid is looking to recruit a new part-time Marketing and Communications Officer to support its work, investing in people with a learning disability, autism, or both, through the discovery, development and disruption of the arts.

As Pyramid’s Marketing and Communications Officer, you’ll be at the forefront of promoting our mission: crafting compelling narratives and creating engaging visual content for social media, and collaborating with our member artists to share their authentic voices and stories.

If you’re passionate about the arts and have a knack for storytelling, this is the perfect opportunity for you to make a difference in a dynamic and inclusive arts community. Your work will amplify the voices of talented artists, foster connections with diverse audiences, and contribute to the growth and visibility of a vital organisation dedicated to creativity and empowerment. Join us at Pyramid and help shape the future of the arts.

Deadline for applications: 11.59pm on Sunday 29 September 2024.

Please download the following four files which make up the application pack:

Welcome letter and how to apply (.pdf)

Job description and person specification (.pdf)

Personal details form (.docx)

Application form (.docx)

If you cannot open Microsoft Word (.docx) files, you can instead use GoogleDocs. Please note, these files will open as ‘view only’ and you will need to save your own copy to edit.

Personal details form (googledoc)

Application form (googledoc)

If for any reason the above formats are not suitable or accessible for you, please email access@pyramid.org.uk and let us know how we can help.

Take a Seat, 10-17 October

Next Step Pyramid will be exhibiting new work at Seagulls this October. The group have produced a series of artworks using second-hand school stools, and recycled paint from Seagulls.

Where?
Seagulls, 129 Water Lane, Leeds LS11 9UD

Limited car parking is available. Seagulls is ground floor, level access.

You can find out more about Seagulls on their website: https://seagullsreuse.org.uk/

Evening exhibition opening:

Date: Thursday 10 October 2024
Time: 6.30pm – 8.30pm
Booking: No booking required, just turn up
Cost: Free
Refreshments provided.

Exhibition:

Dates: 11 – 17 October 2024
Times: 9am – 4pm Monday to Saturday, 10am – 4pm on Sundays
Booking: No booking required, just turn up
Cost: Free

Developing You – October 2024

Pyramid has partnered with Leeds Employment Hub, People Matters and United Response to deliver a project for adults with a learning disability who are interested in learning more about getting a job. It is called Developing You: Exploring Wellbeing and Work.

There is a video below that tells you more about it.

It is a free, 9 week course (3 hours per week).

Our next course will start on Tuesday 15 October and runs for 9 weeks at the Thackray Museum of Medicine (LS9).

As well as thinking about employment, the course looks at ways to maintain and improve your personal health and wellbeing.

• Improve how your body and mind feel
• Develop your digital skills
• Better understand the world of work
• Get 1 to 1 support from an Employment Advisor
• Find out about other support services and groups
• Meet new people

The course is open to people in the Leeds area aged 18+. Attending will not affect any entitlement to benefits that you may have. We can help with travel costs if needed.

Please click here to contact us if you’d like to find out more or register for the course.

Click here to download a flyer (.pdf)

Partners:

Funded by:

Free short course for artists

This is a free course is for adults (18+) who are autistic and/or have a learning disability and don’t have a job. Join us at Pyramid to learn about working in the arts:

• Making art to sell
• Running a craft stall
• Leading creative workshops
• Building an artist portfolio
• Making an online profile

This introductory course is perfect for creative individuals with no previous experience. It aims to provide a foundational understanding of working in the arts, focusing on the basic key aspects of artist development. 

The course covers a range of beginner-friendly topics such as making art to sell, running a craft stall, and leading creative workshops. Participants will also learn how to build an artist portfolio and create an online profile. 

This programme is an excellent opportunity for newcomers to gain confidence and basic knowledge about working in the arts, supported by Pyramid’s tutors in a welcoming and inclusive environment.  

When?

1.30pm – 3.30pm on Fridays
27 September – 13 December 2024

How do I sign-up?

Get in touch with us to register. There is a limit of 12 places on this course and you must be able to commit to coming every week.

Email: info@pyramid.org.uk
Phone: 0113 234 6040
Text / WhatsApp: 07531 215 999

Click here to download a flyer for the course (.pdf)

This project is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Studio open all summer for Pyramid members

We’re excited to announce that our Finding the Flex research project is now underway. From now until March 2025, Pyramid member artists can make use of Pyramid’s studio facilities for up to three days a week, free of charge.

Pyramid Studio Days will happen regularly on Mondays, Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Pyramid member artists can find out more or make a booking by emailing studio@pyramid.org.uk or calling us on 0113 234 6040. It is essential that you book in advance!

Click an image below to view a larger size, or click here to download the flyer and session dates for July and August as a PDF file.

Studio Days general information

Session dates for July and August

Finding the Flex is a further development to our ongoing work, Irregular Art Schools. It is funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, and is delivered in partnership with University of Leeds.

Artist stall-holder call out

Artists selling pop culture, computer game, animation, DnD, comic and geek themed work wanted for Pyramid’s Summer Art Market!

Date: Saturday 31 August 2024
Time: 11am-3pm
Location: Pyramid Studio, Unit 3, 18 Croydon Street, LS11 9RT

A £15 fee is required to secure a table. All sales on the day are for stall holders to keep – Pyramid does not take commission on sales.

The deadline for applications is 11.59pm, Saturday 10 August.

To apply, please contact us.

Comic-Con art sale 31-08-24

Join us at Pyramid this summer to browse stalls of artists selling pop culture, computer game, animation, DnD, comic and geek themed work. There’ll also be a creative workshop and refreshments on sale.

Date: Saturday 31 August 2024
Time: 11am-3pm
Location: Pyramid Studio, Unit 3, 18 Croydon Street, LS11 9RT

Everyone is welcome and we’d love to see as many people as possible, so please help us to spread the word!

This is a fundraising event for Pyramid, and all money raised will go towards improving access and inclusion in the arts for people with autism, a learning disability, or both.

Access: For information about access in the studio, bus routes, and parking, please see https://pyramid.org.uk/access/

Axis Exchange

In March and April 2023, we collaborated with KCAT and Trasna Productions (Kilkenny, Republic of Ireland), visiting each other in an artist exchange.  We met new friends, learned about each other, and created artwork together. 

Artists and staff from the organisations visited each other’s towns and studios.  We visited cultural venues in the different towns. We shared the artwork we created and talked to each other about the projects we are currently working on, and our creative practices. We made artwork together inspired by meeting each other, and by the places we had visited and seen on our travels. 

We created a new large-scale piece of artwork together, working with artist Saturio Alonso at the Gasworks gallery in Callan.  We created a publication, and with film-maker Patrick Bramley we documented our visits (see film, above).

The artists, staff and organisations were inspired by what they saw and what they learned from each other, to think differently and better about the way that we do things. 

The artists involved in the exchange were: Alfie Fox, Brianna Hurley, Diana Chambers, Fintin Kelly, Liam Hirst, Ria Lake, and Stephen Harvey. 

We would like to thank the British Council for their generous support of this project. 

Access Cloaks film screening 20-06-24

Leeds Access Cloaks is a project led by Pyramid artist Alfie Fox.  Alfie made four large-scale, print-based ‘cloaks’ with children and adults with disabilities across Leeds, and displayed them at well known cultural venues citywide, including Hyde Park Picture House.

Alfie has collaborated with film-maker Michael Godsall in making this documentary about a ground-breaking project which invites people to think about access and inclusion in the arts.

The film follows Alfie and his team of support artists from Pyramid over the course of the project, documenting the barriers that exist for artists with disabilities, and highlighting why art is an important tool for communication and connection in our everyday lives.

Date: Thursday 20 June 2024
Time: 1pm – 2pm
Location: Hyde Park Picture House, 73 Brudenell Road, Leeds, LS6 1JD
Access: Please see https://hpph.co.uk/access for detailed information
Cost: Tickets are ‘pay what you can’, including £0.

Ticket link: https://hpph.co.uk/films/access-cloaks

Treading Water 13-20 June

We are so excited to be partnering with Bramley Baths to host Josh Pedley-Cook’s first ever solo exhibition, Treading Water.

As well as being an artist at Pyramid, Josh is also a member of a Leeds water polo team.  He is a passionate advocate for the mental health benefits of swimming and loves spending time in the water. Josh hopes his exhibition will inspire other people to get swimming too!

When: 13-20 June 2024

Time: 10am – 4pm weekdays and 10am – 3pm weekends

Venue: Bramley Baths, Broad Lane, Bramley, LS13 3DF

Access: Click here to download our access information for the venue (.pdf)

Cost: Free, no booking required.

Josh would also like to invite everyone to his exhibition celebration event on Saturday 15 June, 1-3pm. There will be refreshments and a pop-up exhibition of work by a selection of other Pyramid artists.

Bramley Baths is a stunning Edwardian bath house and if you’d like to take the opportunity to have a swim as well as seeing the exhibition, you can book online, here: https://www.bramleybaths.co.uk/pool

Swim sessions taking place during our celebration event can be booked directly using these links:

Vacancy: Studio Facilitator

We’re looking for a part-time freelance Studio Facilitator to work with us on fixed-term project for nine months.

Pyramid is an inclusive, equal opportunities employer and we want our organisation and its audience to reflect the diversity of our local community in Leeds. If you feel under-represented in the arts, we most strongly encourage you to apply!

The project

We are collaborating with the University of Leeds’ School of Fine Art, History of Art, & Cultural Studies on a project funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), linked to previous research by Irregular Art Schools (https://irregularartschools.org/).

This project is called Finding the Flex and is a feasibility study for providing a flexible, supported open arts studio space for artists with learning disabilities, autism, or both (LD/A).  The aim of the project is to test models for more flexible support and support plans for people with LD/A, bringing a potential improvement in the way in which people with LD/A are supported to access different activities and services in future.

Purpose of the post

• To be present during open studio hours and take responsibility for general operations, premises, and health and safety.
• To provide technical and creative support to the artists present, offering advice and guidance as needed, and facilitating opportunities for shared learning / peer-to-peer working.
• To keep accurate records of activity in the open studio and contribute to the ongoing research, monitoring, and evaluation aspects of the project.

Job application pack

Please click on a document title to open/download. If you need a document in another format, please email access@pyramid.org.uk or phone/text 07531 215 999 and we’ll be more than happy to help.

Cover letter

Job description and person specification

Personal details form

Application form

We have also made these documents available to download from GoogleDrive, if you prefer: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-1N6M47q97Vt8BTxDvTmQtzlOXwxPawy?usp=sharing

The deadline for applications is Sunday 05 May 2024.

Join us on Patreon

Join us on Patreon as a digital supporter to receive exclusive online behind-the-scenes content and work from our artists. Become a swag supporter to receive new merch through the post every other month alongside all our online content.

Our patrons share our belief that creativity should be nurtured in everyone and that anyone should have the opportunity to become an artist regardless of their personal circumstances. Our artists face many barriers to developing their creative practice, from flaws within health and social care provision to the exclusivity and prejudices of the art world. Pyramid Patrons support the work of Pyramid to challenge these systems, break down barriers, and create new opportunities for our artists.

Big Art Pub Quiz 15/04/24

Everyone is welcome and we’d love to see as many people as possible, so please help us to spread the word!

Date: Monday 15 April
Time: 8pm
Location: The Cardigan Arms, 364 Kirkstall Road, Burley, LS4 2HQ
Cost: Pay as you feel on the door

This is a fundraising event for Pyramid, and all money raised will go towards improving access and inclusion in the arts for people with learning disabilities.

A massive thanks to @brews_and_chats and @thecardiganarms for hosting.

Art Yard Sale 13/04/24

We have been busy spring cleaning our stores and we thought it would be fun to invite everyone to the studio for a rummage!

Expect to find beautiful artworks from our archives, pre-loved art materials and tools, bucket loads of fabric and a selection of artist stalls!

There will also be refreshments available and a drop in scrap workshop ✂️

Date: Saturday 13 April
Time: 11am-3pm
Location: Pyramid Studio, Unit 3, 18 Croydon Street, LS11 9RT

Everyone is welcome and we’d love to see as many people as possible, so please help us to spread the word!

This is a fundraising event for Pyramid, and all money raised will go towards improving access and inclusion in the arts for people with autism, a learning disability, or both.

Studio access:

The accessible entrance to the studio is on Croydon Street. It has wide doors. The space is entirely on the ground floor and the surface is level.

There is an all-genders accessible toliet. The space is manoeuvrable with a wheelchair.

There is lots of free parking in the two car parks on Croydon Street.

There is a bus stop close by. From Leeds City Centre:

Arriva Buses to Spence Lane: 229, 254, 255
First buses to Domestic Street: 55, 65, 75

See our access page for more information: https://pyramid.org.uk/access/

RB

RB: I explore surrealism and realism within my art practice. I enjoy sketching designs that have a 3D quality and a sense of perspective. I like playing with the balance of reality and fantasy when creating my landscapes.

I like creating interactive pieces such as including easter eggs which is a term used in gaming for hidden symbols or objects that are placed within my pictures. The easter eggs I use remind me of where’s wally, this adds a playful element to my work.

Rock Jaw

Within my ocean scene I have played with lighting effects using watercolour to create an ethereal underwater landscape. This landscape is the home of Rock Jaw a giant armoured merboy, who is a character I have designed myself. I am particularly proud of this piece of work.

Gold Heart

Another character I have created is Gold Heart a character who is based on myself. He is the main character within my fantasy stories who is heroic, brave, intelligent, and caring.

Malta

Within my current sketches I have drawn inspiration from my trip to Malta, looking at the historic landmarks within the country such as the fortresses built in World War 2, the grand cathedrals, and their ornate architecture. I have used my photography skills to use as reference images for my drawings including images I took of the megalithic temples.

work in progress:

The Hand of Time 2012-2023

The Hand of Time, more often referred to as ‘the Big Hand’ was created by Pyramid in 2012 as part of Cultural Olympiad celebration of the London Olympics.

The hand holds a clock and it was designed to organically deteriorate, change & evolve over time. It was created with a steel frame but otherwise with organic materials designed to change throughout the years. It was originally displayed at Thwaite Mills and at Millennium Square for Light Night. It has been on display at Barkston House, very near the Pyramid Studio, since 2015.

Pyramid periodically reimagines and redecorates The Big Hand with different artists, contributing additions and changes.

2023 additions to the hand were created by Pyramid’s Legends & Ribblehead groups.

The Legends group created a sustainable textiles clockface and bug hotels for the hands base, made from a recycled drum kit.

The Ribblehead group created mosaic work which is displayed around the hand.

Photos by Mindy Goose